


Be careful what you wish for

by Artsycosplayer



Series: Wishful Thinking AU [1]
Category: DreamSMP, Minecraft (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Family, Family Dynamics, Fluff and Angst, Found Family, Gen, How Do I Tag, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Inspired by Supernatural (TV), Lots of Angst, Mystery, Sadbur, Sleepy Bois Inc Angst, Sleepy Bois Inc as Family, Sleepy Boys, Supernatural Elements, Twins Wilbur Soot & Technoblade, Wilbur Soot Angst, Wilbur Soot Needs a Hug, Wilbur Soot and Technoblade and TommyInnit are Siblings, Wilbur Soot and Technoblade are Siblings, Wilbur Soot-centric, but lots of angst first, no powers, sbi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-15
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-17 07:07:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,138
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29467725
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Artsycosplayer/pseuds/Artsycosplayer
Summary: When Wilbur wakes up in his old bed with his abusive father downstairs who suddenly seems to love him and a brother who doesn't seem to care for him, something might be up. And he's the only one who can figure out what exactly is wrong.-Or, Wilbur wakes up in an alternative reality where events of his past were changed so the present is totally different. Now he must figure out what happened, and find a way back home.Based on an episode of supernatural
Relationships: Wilbur Soot & Phil Watson, Wilbur Soot & Technoblade, Wilbur Soot & Technoblade & Phil Watson, Wilbur Soot & Technoblade & TommyInnit & Phil Watson
Series: Wishful Thinking AU [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2200137
Comments: 39
Kudos: 147





	1. Homecoming

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! This is my first attempt at writing in a long time, so I'm still figuring this all out but I will definitely improve along the way! Please enjoy! :D Oh, and English is not my first language so if you see any mistakes please tell me haha

A strange sound pierces through the silence, but it takes a second for Will to really process what he’s hearing. That’s… weird. This isn’t the usual sound he uses for his alarm. 

He opens his eyes, taking his time, his eyes wandering through his room. 

Wait, no… no, this is not possible. No, this cannot be! 

He’s… in his old room? Even though it doesn’t look exactly the way he left it, he can still remember the old music poster that hangs on the wall, the broken lamp sitting on the table he had been meaning to fix. 

He’s suddenly wide awake, a panic building in his head. No, he wasn’t supposed to be here. They were supposed to be far away, safe. 

Safe…

A voice startles him out his trance, his breath quickening even more. He knows that voice, he escaped that voice years ago, the voice is… singing? 

He leaves the warmth of his bed, his head hurting from all the questions he currently has. Wilbur needs answers, he needs to find his brother, he needs Phil. Where are they? 

Why is he here? 

Wilbur looks out of his childhood bedroom door, the only sound in the house coming from downstairs. He wants to go back, just jump in the bed, suffocate himself in the warmth, leaving the problems and questions for another time. He doesn’t want to admit it, but he is scared. What will he do now, when he sees him? 

Wilbur is not a kid anymore, he knows he can protect himself now, but he’s not sure he can against the person who he was sure he was never going to see again. 

He takes a deep breath in, deep breath out, and forces himself down the stairs.  
His eyes fall on some keys sitting next to a brown bag, so he puts those between his knuckles to use as protection. He learned to be able to adapt to everything, nothings scares him anymore. Why is his heart pumping like this? Why does he feel like throwing up by just thinking about what is going to happen in the next room? 

He forces himself to take another step towards the only door separating himself from the man in the other room. The voice is so familiar, but it sounds way too nice to be actually him. 

Maybe he is wrong, yeah, that should be it, there’s no way…

The man is staring right at him

Suddenly, Wilbur feels like a deer in headlights, forgetting every plan he just made up, frozen to the ground and unable to move. 

The door opens, and then…

The man hugs him? 

“Hey, Wilbur! I didn’t see that you were up yet! Did you sleep well? I was busy making us breakfast, how do you want your eggs? I know you usually prefer them sunny side up, but now that you’re here I can just ask you!”

The man is smiling. Why is he smiling? 

Wilbur is unable to move, unable to process what is happening here. 

Why was his father being so nice to him? He cannot remember the last time he gave him a hug, some sort of comforting touch. He was supposed to scream, to hit him when he did something wrong, came out of bed too late, forgot to do his homework… He knows how to react to that; he has done so for years. But this, how should he respond to his kindness? 

“Will, buddy, are you okay? You seem a bit out of it. Everything going well with your friends? You know you can talk to me if there’s something I can do for you, anything!” His father loosens up the hug, Wilbur didn’t realize how tense his body was. 

“No, it’s fine.” Why does his voice sound so cracked? 

The man lets go first, leaving Wilbur confused as he wants to keep him closer but also wants to push him away as far as possible. This wasn’t right, none of this felt right. 

“You know what, forget that, why don’t I just make us some pancakes? Today’s a celebration after all”. 

His mind took a minute to process what he was saying. “Wait, a celebration? What are you talking about?”

His father chuckled (why did it sound so real, so warm, why this doesn’t make any sense) “Oh Will, you really forgot? You must not be awake yet. Your brother is finally getting his master’s degree today! You know how hard he worked for that, don’t ya? You boys grow up so quick, soon this house will be so quiet without both of you rascals running around”. 

Before Will could even reply (What master’s degree? What are you talking about, he never even finished his minor before we run away! He never got to finish his dreams before he and I - ) 

His dad had turned around, walking back to the kitchen to grab some new pans for the pancakes. 

He felt sick. He could only mutter a small “I’m going upstairs for a moment” before running up, almost tripping over his own feet. His brother was also here, apparently. He was going to see him. Maybe he knows what is going on. His brother always knows. 

At least he wasn’t alone in this. He had to get some help. 

“Pancakes are ready!” His father’s voice sounded through the halls. It was so strange, to hear him yelling in a non-threatening way. “Coming!” He shouted back. First, let’s eat. Then we can figure out what was going on. 

Breakfast was pretty nice, all things considered. Both parties stayed pretty quiet, not wanting to have lots of small talk. It was nice, the quietness. Wilbur almost let his guard completely down. 

“Have you heard from Techno yet? He should be here in less than an hour, if traffic isn’t too bad. It’d be nice to have the family together again”. His dad shoved another piece of pancake in his mouth. Wilbur did the same, trying to get some more time to think of an appropriate answer. 

“I don’t think he said anything to me yet, why? I don’t remember how far he has to travel?”  
Wilbur quickly put another piece of pancake in his mouth. Hopefully he could get some answers out of his father without angering him too much. 

His dad just laughed playfully. “You know Techno lives pretty far away now; he’s moved out three years ago to live closer to the university. You’ve visited him lots of times, don’t act like you don’t know!” The room grew quiet, neither party knowing how to proceed. It was better like this; it gave him time to think. He just hoped Techno would show up soon. 

It didn’t take too long, thankfully. Just 20 minutes after he helped his dad clean up the plates, the doorbell rang. 

“Oh, that must be Techno! Will, can you be a dear and please open –“ He was gone before his dad could finish his sentence. 

Wilbur walked to the door, opening it and seeing… Techno? It was definitely his twin brother, no doubt about it, but it also was… definitely not. He wore a dark grey blouse, a gold chain around his neck. His hair was definitely way shorter than it was supposed to be and he wore… glasses? 

“Hey, Techno, it’s so good to see you! This is all so weird, you know, us being back here, we need to talk about what –“ Just seeing his brother, Will couldn’t stop rambling till Technoblade interrupted him. 

“Woah, slow down cowboy! Why are you so happy to see me, you’ve never been this happy to see me, are you okay? You’re definitely acting weird dude”, his twin looked at him distantly. This was so weird, they’ve been so close all their lives, why was he acting like they were just distant friends or something?

“What do you mean Techno? I’ve definitely seen you, like, yesterday or something! You’re my twin, we’ve always been there for each other, don’t act like this!” Wilbur grew more anxious by the minute; something was definitely up. 

Techno just scoffed, annoyed. “Dude, I haven’t seen you in at least half a year, the last time dad had to almost kidnap you to meet up to celebrate his birthday with us! And you totally skipped my birthday a few months ago to “practice your music with your band friends”. I haven’t told dad about what you’re actually doing because I try to be a decent brother and I’m not a snitch, but you don’t deserve any son or brother of the year awards my guy”. 

Wilbur felt the distance between the two grow with every word out of Techno’s mouth. Techno has never been angry at him before, he was always there to protect him against the anger of their dad, or if he had problems at school. Wilbur and Techno, two peas in a pot, always together. 

Wilbur felt himself getting panicked, what was going on?


	2. Recollections

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was only supposed to be a one-shot, but I already got like 10 chapters planned out. 
> 
> Whoops. 
> 
> Anyway, hope you guys enjoy!

“So tell me, Techno, have you found a new apartment yet? You know you have to move out of you current one soon, right?” The guy took a sip of his tea, relaxing in his chair. They were all sitting in the backyard, enjoying the sun and the light breeze through the leaves. 

Techno sighs. “I know, don’t worry dad. A friend and I are actually planning on renting a place together, we just need to find one. We’ve got a few options already, it’s going to be totally fine”. His eyes lock with Wilbur’s. “What about you, how’s the band coming along? Have you finally found some real gigs?” Wilbur flinches at the sarcastic tone of his brother, but his father was quick to answer. 

“Techno, that’s not fair, your brother is working really hard and you know it! He’s out practicing almost daily; they’ll find some gigs soon! You should really try to be more encouraging to him!” Techno only rolls his eyes, focusing on his cup of coffee. 

Ah, so he was in a band. Not the most lucrative one, apparently, but he’s trying his best to break through, so that’s something he can work with. A message pops up on his phone, but he ignores it. One mystery at a time, please. 

“Do you want me to help clean your old room out Techno? There are a few boxes in there that need to be moved to make it semi livable for a few days”. Techno just shrugs. “Eh, why not, sure”. They both stand up from their seats, but his father still turns around to face Wilbur. “Hey Will, can you please put all the cups away while I help your brother out?” Wilbur just nods, and the two walk away, leaving him alone. 

It’s actually so weird, how things can feel so familiar but so strange at the same time. 

It didn’t take long for Wilbur to put the empty cups away, so he resorted to exploring the house some more. There was a big shelf in the livingroom, filled to the brim with different colorful books, mostly different cooking books. That was definitely strange, his dad never took the time to cook himself, he always said he was too tired or just didn’t feel like it, so usually Techno was the one to order take-out. He wondered why this particular change stung him so much. 

Will quickly turned around from the bookshelf, not wanting to think about the old memories anymore. His eyes fell on some picture frames, neatly placed on a cupboard next to the tv. He chuckled softly when he picked up one of the simple frames. The picture was of a younger Technoblade, his short, pink hair in gelled up spikes with his glasses on, looking fully focused at the chess board in front of him. He grinned. Techno looked so careless, like an actual child. No care in the world, his only problem being the kid in front of him (who he was, looking at the board, beating easily). 

“Heh, he used to be so good at that damn game, beat me every time without mercy, the rascal”. 

The voice startled Wilbur, almost dropping the frame in his hand. He hoped his father didn’t notice, nothing good ever happened from him noticing when he scared him. Thankfully, he seemed too distracted with the pictures. Another message popped up on his phone, Wilbur made a mental note to check that later. 

“He’s won so many championships, you know how he gets when he fixates on a certain skill he wants to learn. I remember having to actually physically take the board away to get him to go to sleep, or else he would just play the whole night, figuring out new strategies and ways to play. That kid’s dedication is something else”. He chuckled. 

That is something Wilbur actually remembers. He remembers the late nights, Techno looking at the board with a tiny flashlight, placing the pieces down as quiet as possible as to not wake Wilbur and his dad. His dad hated it, the way Techno never listened to him to put the board away, he wasn’t supposed to like and chuckle at the way his brother always seemed to defy his rules, he wasn’t – 

“Oh! Do you remember this one Will?” He grabs a picture of a really young Wilbur, proudly holding a fishing pole in his tiny hands. “I think this was one of the first times we went out together, without Techno. He always hated fishing and sitting still, but you loved it so we just went alone”. He grins, looking fondly at the image, before continuing. “Once, on one of our first trips, you caught a fish, but had no clue how to actually get it off the hook, so you just waited for me to help you. But you didn’t see the cat approaching, clawing the fish off the hook before I could throw it back in the water for you. You were absolutely mortified, while the cat walked off to eat his prize. It still cracks me up, you always cared so much for everyone and everything you met. It’s one of the things I admire about you the most, you know?” 

That last sentence almost made Will tear up. His father may have been a really bad guy when he grew up, but he didn’t realize how much he still wanted him to say those words to him. Everything he ever wanted was to make his father proud. 

Not knowing what to say, he just resorted to giving his dad a hug. 

Nothing really mattered.

The past didn’t matter.

All that mattered was this moment, and in this moment, his dad was proud of him. 

He couldn’t stop the single tear coming out of his eye. 

Wilbur’s phone rang, cutting the moment short. They broke off the hug, and Will grabbed the phone out of his pocket to see who was calling him. 

Who was this ‘Schlatt’? 

“I think I have to take this”, he said, not waiting for an answer before walking outside, into the backyard again, reluctantly picking up the call. 

“Em, hey?”

“Hey, big guy!”, the voice answered, the background noises making it almost impossible to hear the man. “Where the fuck are you, you’re already two hours late! It’s not like you to miss our little parties”. Different voices were shouting in the background, but Will couldn’t figure out what they were saying. 

“Wait, party? Eh, well, anyways, Techno is here, so I don’t think I have time today for –“ 

He got cut off, the man laughing hard into the phone. “What are you talking about Will, we knew that already! It’s not like you actually like the guy, that’s never stopped you before from joining us so what’s the big deal? You missed his birthday last year to get drunk with us! I can come pick you up if you’d like?” 

Oh god, he could really use a drink right about now… 

“I’m sorry, I don’t think I feel so well today, maybe some other time”. 

The man on the other side of the line grew quiet. “Oh okay, get well soon man! It’s not the same without you, but you know that already! Just know that if there’s anything you need to talk about, I’m here for you. Everyone is here for you! Don’t be a stranger!” 

Wilbur couldn’t stop himself from grinning, feeling how much the man on the other side cared for him. He wished he knew more about him. 

“Talk to you later, have fun on your party!” 

Click. 

“Why didn’t you go?” Will almost lets out a shriek, getting startled for the second time today. “How much did you hear?”, Will cringes, he hates how cold Techno is to him, it feels so wrong and unfamiliar. 

“Enough to know something is up, you never give up the chance to drink with that guy, the fact that you are still here and didn’t run off the second you saw me is really out of character” Techno always sounds so monotone, making it really difficult to figure out what his brother was feeling. 

His words still hurt. 

“Family time is important to me; I want to spend more time with you because I care about you!”

Techno only scoffs.

“Liar”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave your predictions, tips, other comments, etc down below, I love to read them so don't be shy haha


	3. Reunions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time for some more character introductions! :]

His hometown hadn’t changed so much, from what he could remember at least. The bakery was still there, on the corner of the street, his nose quickly filled with the familiar scent of freshly baked bread. The same lady was still running the shop, he could see her pink short hair through the windows as she was laughing with a customer. 

It was nice, to focus on the things that were the same when so many were so different. The fresh air really helped Wilbur clear his head, the house was becoming too much for him. As an excuse he had told his father and brother that he was going to cook for them tonight, so he was getting some groceries. Apparently, this was a strange concept for them, since they both looked at him quizzically before just shrugging. He got out of the house as soon as possible after that. 

The streets were busy, he almost bumped into some people, too lost in his thoughts. A baby was crying nearby, the mother desperate to lull the kid back to sleep. A small group of   
teenagers were laughing hard a few shops over. He tried to focus on those things, anything to not thing about the conversations he was sure were coming when he got back to his elderly home. 

Wilbur suddenly tensed up, why did he have a feeling someone was watching him? He looked around, seeing nothing at first, before noticing someone – or something – strange staring at him from across the street. 

A man (at least he thought it was a man?) was looking directly at him, his green cloak waving in the wind. Will couldn’t see his face, as it was obscured by a white mask bearing a black smiley face. 

That’s… strange, to say the least. 

He felt the sense of dread rising, every muscle in his body telling, no yelling at him, to get away. 

Run.

Run. 

Run. 

Even though he knew he should listen to the voice in his head, he didn’t. Instead, he started walking towards the strange individual. He felt so familiar, like he knew him, why can’t he remember – 

A bus drove by, and the figure was gone. 

He didn’t just imagine it, did he? 

The loud honking of a car brought him out of his trance. He was standing on the road, a car abruptly stopped in front of him with an angry driver behind the wheel. Somehow, he walked onto the busy road without really realizing it. 

“Hey mate, do you have a death wish? Get off the road!” A voice was shouting at him, so Will obeyed. He was still thinking about the strange figure he saw (or imagined?) he got the feeling it meant something, it had to, right? 

“Mate really, are you alright? You didn’t get hurt, did you?” The voice sounded more concerned now, it almost sounded a lot like… 

Wilbur finally looked up at the owner of the voice. 

In front of him, in a neat police uniform, stood his adoptive dad. 

“Phil?” Wilbur wanted so desperately to hug the man, craving a sense of familiarity that seemed to be extremely scarce today. 

Philza just looked back with a questioning look, a glance that Will had become quite accustomed to now, though it surely didn’t hurt any less. 

“Wait, do I know you from something, kid? I see a lot of faces in a day, so you do look kind of familiar”. He felt so warm, his voice so concerned but soft. 

“Eh, yeah, you may know my dad? His name is John, we live not too far from here.” 

Phil looks at him for a second before it all seems to click. “Ah, you’re John’s kid? Don’t you also have a brother? I remember seeing you all together, John’s a great guy!” 

_“Please, dad, I’m sorry, I am so sorry, please don’t hurt me!”_

_“Take your punishment like a real man Will, hopefully you will learn from this!”_

Will shakes the memory away before smiling weakly. “Yeah, he sure is”. He can’t look the man in his eyes. Phil only chuckles, not realizing the conflict in Will’s head. “Well, mate, it was nice to meet you, but I have work to do! Crime never takes a day off!” He winks playfully. 

It pains Will so much, to see him there. So close, but yet miles away. There’re so many things he wants to say right now, but he cannot find the words for it. 

“Yeah, nice to meet you Phil”. 

Before he can change his mind, he turns around and quickly takes his leave. 

Oh, right, he was going to the store for groceries. Wilbur continued on his way. 

At least something still seemed to be the same, Philza used to be a police officer before he took in him and his twin. Always the protective dad, the uniform seemed to fit him so perfectly. 

The ideal police officer by day, occasional ‘hunter’ by night. Two roles, so similar but still so different, both still fitting his father figure like a glove. Hunter of the monsters in this harsh world, most of them human, some of them… decidedly not. He taught the twins everything he knew, becoming a mentor and father to the boys almost the minute he took them in. The bond was unbreakable, he knew any of them would die in a second for the others. 

At least, before today. He still needed to figure that out, but for now he was content with the sliver of familiarity. 

Will walked into the small grocery store, still not having decided what he was going to make for his family today, when he got an idea. 

When his dad decided not to come home for days on end sometimes, Wilbur would take care of dinner. He was by no means a good cook, not many are at 9, but he had seen some cooking shows and decided that he was going to make an amazing mac and cheese for him and his brother. 

He himself found it absolutely horrible, but his twin seemed to love it. And hey, at least he didn’t burn the house down? 

After that, it became their go-to comfort meal. Will learned to cook better, so it at least tasted like it should. It was still nowhere near the traditional recipe, but that only made it more special for them. 

Comfort was something he desperately needed right now. 

-

It didn’t take long for Will to gather all the ingredients (plus a few extra’s) he was going to need tonight. It made him feel better, actually excited to go back home. He walked out of the store, heavy bag around his arm. 

A man was shouting, clearly angry at something. Or someone. He held a small boy with his hand on the boy’s shoulder, it looked like it hurt. The blond boy tried to make himself smaller than he already was, a flood of sorry’s escaping his trembling mouth. That didn’t seem to matter to the seething guy, his hand grabbing even firmer at his shoulder. Wilbur looked more at the boy, his white and red shirt had some holes in it, his blond hair untamed. Don’t tell me… 

“Let me go, bitch! I will fight you and I will definitely win because I am a big man, don’t test me!” His words didn’t seem to match his body language.

Yup, there’s only one person that could be. 

“Hey, what’s the matter here? Don’t you see you’re hurting him?” Wilbur almost ran to the two people, brotherly instincts taking over. The man just seemed to become angrier. 

“This boy tried to steal from my shop! Are you really siding with a thief?” In Tommy’s trembling hands, Wilbur saw a small loaf of bread and a diet coke. Without thinking too much about it, he got his wallet out of his heavy bag. 

“Let me pay for him, I’ll even give you a bit extra for your trouble. Just please, let the kid go”. He ignored the scoffed sounds from Tommy, rambling even more about how he doesn’t need any help, he is a big man, he can do this alone – 

“Give me double and I won’t call the police” The man said with a smug face. Wilbur didn’t need to think more than a second about it. 

“Deal”. 

He got the money out of his wallet and gave it to the shop owner, who in turn let go of the small boy who almost immediately started running away. 

Will let him go, knowing his brother well enough that he will be okay and that he will definitely see him again soon. Some things stay the same, even in a different world, or whatever this is. He just has to help him find his way again, just like he did before, many years ago.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I got a bit stuck while writing this chapter so it took a bit longer than I'd like, but I hope y'all still liked it! 
> 
> I had a question, I'm thinking of making separate one-shots for this AU for stuff I want to write but don't fit in the main story. I can write about how Techno and Will got adopted by Phil and other sbi fluff/angst. Would you be interested in that? Please let me know in the comments! And don't be shy if you have things you'd like me to add in the main story or as a one-shot, I absolutely love reading the comments! 
> 
> (Thank btw for the amazing comments on the other two chapters, you guys motivate me to keep writing!)
> 
> <3


	4. Rebuilding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wilbur is just cooking up some dinner, nothing can go wrong with that, right?
> 
> Right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I'm alive! So sorry for not uploading in a while, I couldn't find the motivation to actually sit down and start writing, so sorry again! Thank you all btw for more than 100 kudos, I really appreciate all the support I'm getting on this story, hopefully you'll enjoy this new chapter!
> 
> <3

It has been a while since Wilbur made this meal for his brother, but he had done it so many times that he didn’t even have to think about the next steps. It’s one of the perks of literally making just one dish for years. It was only when Techno started to finally buy some actual cookbooks for his brother in a silent hint, that Will started experimenting with other foods, making an actual hobby out of cooking for the both of them. He turned out to be pretty good at it, too! Techno, on the other hand, was never a great cook, so he was more than happy to leave that stuff to his twin while he took care of other chores around the house. It was this mutual agreement they had, never spoken aloud. 

The fact that kids their age should never have the responsibility they had around the house never dawned on them. Why would it? They’d never known otherwise. 

“Hey Wilbur, what are you making there? Smells cheesy” Will couldn’t help but laugh at his brother’s poor attempt at a joke. “You know it’s kind of supposed to smell like that, yeah? It’s kind of the whole point”. He finally saw his brother poke his head into the small kitchen. 

“Bruhhh, don’t be like that man, just tell me what you are making”

“Just try to guess, Techno! I’m sure you can figure it out big man!” Will couldn’t help but smile himself when he saw a slight smirk on his twin’s face. Teasing him still came natural to Wilbur, thankfully. 

“I have literally no idea Wilbur, it’s not like I’ve seen you do anything in the kitchen ever before, I thought you were literally allergic to this place if I’m honest”. 

Will stopped stirring in the pan in front of him. Oh, yeah, he almost forgot about the whole situation. Why does everything have to be so different? Why can’t at least one thing stay the same? “Oh, right, of course! Yeah, no, I err, picked this up a… while ago? Yeah, it’s definitely been a while” Will couldn’t keep in his nervous laugh while Techno straightened the glasses on his nose. “It’s my version of a mac and cheese, I’m sure you’ll love it! 

Techno just shrugged. “If you say so, I’ll just be in the other room, just call me and dad over when you’re done”. Will nodded and focused again on the stove in front of him. 

It was definitely scary, the way he forgot for a second that he was not in his ‘real’ world, how different everything was from how it was supposed to be. 

What was even scarier, was how eager he found himself to embrace this new world, the new love of his father that he had craved for as long as he was alive – finally there, but at a costly price, that’s what it looked like at least. 

Wilbur kept stirring in the pot in front of him. Did he even remember what the last thing he did was before waking up here? His mind was completely blank, memories right under the surface but still too far away to get a grip on. It was so frustrating, not being able to remember, not even being able to ask his family in front of him because they’d just looked at him as if he just grew a second head. 

That was by far the worst; the weird stares they gave him, the looks of untrust when he said something they couldn’t recognize. It felt so alienating, having no one to talk to without them thinking he lost his mind. 

Who could you turn to, when everyone around you remembers your story differently than you do yourself? Whose story would be the right one? 

He wondered what Phil and Tommy were up to now. From what he could tell, not much was changed from when he first met them in his ‘real’ world. (What even is real anymore?) Without Techno and Wilbur under Philza’s care, they never would have even thought about adding the gremlin child to their weird little family so it shouldn’t surprise him that Tommy was still in the streets alone. Doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt to see him like that again, though. He really should talk to him soon, see if he can help him still, somehow. 

The smell of something burning took him out of his thoughts again. Shit, the food! He quickly moved the pan off the stove, hopefully it didn’t burn it too badly. 

“Guys, food’s ready!” Wilbur shouted to the living room. He heard the tv shut off, and his family leaving the couch to join Will at the table, the steaming pan in his hand as he puts it in the middle. 

“Smells pretty all right Will! Never knew you could actually cook!” Wilbur knew his father meant it in a joking matter, but it still stung. Not that he would ever show that it hurt though, old habits die slowly. 

Dinner time went pretty quietly, Will actually enjoyed the calm atmosphere, just eating with the occasional words thrown around. They were almost finished when his father decided to speak up again. “Thanks for cooking Will, it was… great! Right, Techno?” His twin didn’t say anything, he just swallowed slowly, his nose slightly wrinkled, eyes partly closed. A stranger wouldn’t notice the small changes in his brother’s body language, but Will was no stranger. 

“You hate it.”

He couldn’t hide the hurt in his voice, seeping through just enough for Techno to pick up on. Being twins definitely could be a curse sometimes. 

“I mean, err, I don’t hate it necessarily, it’s just, I don’t know, not my… thing? Don’t put me on the spot like that man” He sneered the last sentence to his father, getting slightly irritated. “This is just… weird! And you are weird man, you’ve been acting differently, and I don’t know how to feel about this!”

The mood was getting tenser by the minute, Will knew he had to say something, anything, to bring it back to the lighthearted, quiet dinner it started as. 

“Come on man, don’t be like that big T! It’s okay, I’m not mad or anything, please, we can talk about this when we finish dinner.” The moment the words left Wilbur’s mouth, he knew he should have thought his words through more. Why did he have to use Tommy’s nickname for Techno? It was literally the worst thing he could have possibly said in the moment, he saw the evidence of that in his twin’s eyes. 

“Big T? Please, I don’t know where that came from, don’t call me that. You haven’t acted as my brother in a long time, don’t start now.” Techno stood up from his chair, walking towards the door. “I need some air, please, give me a moment.” 

And with those words he left the room, the other two men stunned in silence. 

It took a second for Wilbur to finally realize what had happened, but when he wanted to stand up to follow his brother, his father held him back. 

“Just leave your brother for a second, Will, give him some space. He’ll come around, he always does, just give him some time to think, I know you’re trying”. 

Yeah, trying, why was trying so difficult? Why did he not fit in anymore, why did his brother, his TWIN feel more like a stranger than his other half? He felt as his dad grabbed his hand, and guided the two of them towards the couch, leaving the dirty table to be cleaned up later. 

When they sat down, and his father hugged him, Wilbur finally broke down. The stress was so much, the change too big. He would never admit it to anyone, not even his own brother, but the love of their dad was one of Will’s greatest wishes, even after the many years under Phil’s care. The wish for a happier, normal childhood, having a dad who actually cared about what he thought, his passions. 

His greatest wish was right in front of him, hugging him. He couldn’t let go, grabbing on like a lifeline, worrying that once he let go, it’d all be gone again. 

So, they sat on the couch, hugging in silence, for what felt like an hour. 

Wilbur could finally feel himself getting calm again, loosening his grip on his father. The older man recognized it and took the moment to release himself for a minute and stand up. 

“Hold on, give me a second Will, I’ll be back in a moment”. 

He actually was, two minutes later he returned holding a big book under his arm. He sat down again next to his son and opened it. 

It appeared to be a photobook of some sorts, full of pictures of little Techno and Wilbur; playing in the sand, on their birthday, playing with their dad, just the biggest smiles he had ever seen. 

His dad put his hand on his son’s shoulder. “You know, when you were younger, I always told you stories of the stupid things you and your brother have done, it always put a smile on your face. We haven’t done that in way too long, I’ve missed telling you those stories, you know?” Through the smile Will could also see a certain sadness in his father’s eyes, the way the hand on his shoulder tightened for a second. He hated the Wilbur of this world, taking everything he longed for his whole life for granted. 

“Please, dad, tell me everything”. 

And so he did, sitting under a single light when the sun slowly started to go down. His father told him stories of that time 5-year-old Wilbur accidently rode with his bike over Techno’s toes when he lost control, 8-year-old Techno getting stuck in a tree so badly that the fire department had to be called. God, they definitely were dumb kids. Dumb, but it sounded like a nice, carefree childhood. He felt like he lived it himself, when his dad told him of his first crush back in high school. 

They just sat there, reminiscing till deep in the night, slowly getting too tired to keep the conversation up but never willing to break up the moment they were having. 

When Techno would wake up the next morning and walk downstairs, he’d find them both still there, asleep but both with smiles on their faces. Maybe some things could be salvageable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry guys, we'll get some fluff soon to break up the angst (if I don't write an angsty one-shot first haha) I edited this story to be a series, so any one-shots I'll upload related to this AU will be uploaded in that so subscribe to that if you're interested! 
> 
> Like always, please tell me what you think of the story so far, predictions, requests, anything, or even a simple smiley face! All the comments literally make my day, I like to see you guy's thoughts so don't be shy :D
> 
> I'll hopefully upload soon, till then <3


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